Searching For Boddies....

News had broken a few weeks ago that one of Manchester's most iconic beer brands was returning in cask form. And when it was confirmed that it was now on the bars of several pubs in and around the city, I headed over the Pennines to try to find a pint and decide for myself if it lived up to expectations....

So after much build-up and anticipation the new iteration of Boddingtons in cask form is back in its home city, the result of a licencing agreement between Anheuser Busch, who now own the brand, and Middleton-based family brewers JW Lees. I wrote about the background to this, the history of and significance of the brewery, and my personal memories of the beer when the deal was announced in a recent blog, The Bees Are Back In Town, and so I won't go over old ground, but to a large number of beer drinkers, myself included, this was a big deal, as it was the first time a cask version of Boddingtons had been available since 2012 when it had last been brewed under licence by another family-owned Mancunian brewery, Hydes.

Meanwhile, a few days ago, I had seen a post from the wonderful Heaton Hops in Heaton Chapel displaying a Boddingtons pump clip and so I knew it had been released in to the world. I checked out the JW Lees website which helpfully listed a number of pubs where it was on sale. Within a small number of outlets there were a couple of Lees pubs as well as the Heaton Hops, and interestingly the Crown, also in Stockport, situated beneath the viaduct, which seemed somewhat appropriate as it is a former Boddingtons tied house and still retains some original branding on its exterior. And rather fittingly, after a period of closure it has recently been taken over by the team who run the excellent Petersgate Tap nearby, and so after a period of instability its future, along with that of the beer that once flowed copiously from its hand pumps, seems more assured.

The Crown, Stockport

So I caught the train from Brighouse to Victoria, where conveniently the Victoria Tap was one of the listed outlets. I headed over from Platform 6, where the train had deposited its passengers, and then it was up the steps, over the bridge, down, and through the gates on to the concourse. I walked past Greggs full of anticipation as a lone pigeon did a fly past a few yards above me. I pulled the door of the Tap open. There was a group stood in front of the bar, blocking the view of the hand pumps. They moved to let me through to the bar. I looked at the pump clips, going up the line looking for Boddies. I looked again - there wasn't any! Momentarily thrown, I hesitated, but then ordered a half of Buster from Bowland Brewery, and after paying for it I retreated to one of the tables near the door. It was pleasant enough, a 4% IPA with some tropical fruit flavours (NBSS 3). But it wasn't Boddingtons, so the search would have to continue. The Victoria Tap, meanwhile, was as relaxing as ever, and featured its usual quality soundtrack.

The Victoria Tap

I finished my half and set off walking to one place where I reckoned there would be a better chance of finding the beer. One of only a couple of Lees pubs mentioned on their website was their flagship pub in central Manchester, Founders Hall, a modernish-pub situated in Albert Square, opposite the still-shrouded town hall. So I headed down Cross Street in fairly confident mood, dodging the shoppers with their bags, surely it would be more or less guaranteed to be on there? After about 10 minutes walk from Victoria, I arrived and walked in. I approached the long bar, the hand pumps were on the right hand side. My eyes ran up and down the line....

There was a Spoons-esque tag on the Boddingtons hand pump, announcing it would be back soon. I asked the girl behind the bar when that would be. Tomorrow, she said. Oh dear, I'm only here today, I replied. At least I'd seen a sign of it. It had been flying out at the weekend she told me, as she poured me a consolation pint of Lees Bitter, which I suppose was an encouraging sign suggesting it might be a rather good beer. But I would have to wait to find out! My Lees Bitter was actually rather good, better than often when I've had it when apart from its distinctive tang, it can be somewhat bland. But this was in excellent condition, well-balanced, full-flavoured, and served at just the right temperature (NBSS 3.5). I quite enjoyed my half hour or so here, watching the changing churn of people from  recuperating shoppers to early finishers to the odd couple, but whilst it is a stylish modern and comfortable bar it lacks the character of many of the city's finest pubs.

Which was not an accusation that could be made about where I went next....

There are not many long-standing pubs in Manchester city centre that I have not visited, but I was about to call in one of them, which had been listed as being an outlet for the new Boddingtons. I turned off Cross Street and headed up Chapel Walks, where in the same building that houses North Westward Ho! is the rather longer-established Sam's Chop House. This was originally established in the city in 1868 by Samuel Studd, who had come to Manchester from London with his brother Thomas, a trained chef, a few years earlier. Manchester in those days was a booming, thriving city and they decided to open a Chop House which was a kind of gastro-pub where well-heeled Victorians could eat, drink, and be merry. The business did well, but the brothers fell out and Thomas left to set up his own place which still exists today on nearby Cross Street as Mr Thomas' Chop House. Sam carried on on his own in the premises which in those days were off Market Street, the business eventually moving to its present location in 1963 by which time the ownership had changed a few times, but today, just as in the early years, it remains a family business, the two former rivals now reunited once again under the umbrella of the Victorian Chop House Company.

So would my luck be in here with any Boddingtons on the bar? I walked in and immediately descended a short staircase where at the bottom was a horseshoe bar in a room with a classy decor; much wood-panelling, discreet lighting, and smart and comfortable furnishings. There was a further room beyond the side of the bar, with an open curtain and a lectern prominently placed by the entrance where bookings for the restaurant beyond could be confirmed. The place had something of the the feel of an upmarket den, a hideaway from the city and world beyond, a place to be discreet and not seen. 

And so to the bar. There were a number of Lees beers on the bar, and to my relief, like a shining yellow beacon, there was a hand pump with Boddingtons, with no tag like at the Founders. "A pint of Boddingtons, please" I said to the smiley girl who came to serve me. Just a normal request, but it felt weird saying those five words again after such a long time, words that back in the 1970's and 80's were regularly on my lips. My beer was duly poured, I paid for it, and transaction completed, I took my prized pint to a tall table with a stool at the other end of the bar, passing a statue of a gentleman sat beside the bar on my way there.

I looked at my freshly-poured pint. It appeared somewhat darker than it used to be, certainly than the straw-coloured version I had first encountered when I hit Manchester as a fresh-faced new student in the 1970's, more a light golden brown colour, crystal clear, with a creamy head. I took a sniff. It had a hint of citrus fruit in the aroma. I took my first sip. There was a light malt flavour, a little toffee, and a refreshing but dry finish as per the original version I remember. The beer had a soft mouthfeel which was more like later versions, and certainly more in keeping with many of today's beers. By 'eck, it was a good pint (NBSS 3.5), and it didn't last long! It isn't a re-creation of a previous beer, as it seems for example, that the yeast used is Lees' house yeast rather than from the original Boddington's strain so as to avoid any cross contamination, and the hop bill includes Jester, which is a modern British hop with New World hop characteristics which give a touch of grapefruit. I guess in summary the new Lees version of Boddington Cask (no mention of bitter in any of the marketing) is a re-imagining of how a cask version of the beer should be to meet the needs of the market in 2025. And based on my first pints of, Lees have done a great job with it, and it is a worthy baton-holder of one of Manchester's most iconic beers.

One sip in....

As I went back to the bar to get myself another pint, I stopped to look at that statue in more detail. It is none other than LS Lowry, the world-famous Manchester artist known for his iconic and distinctive paintings of early 20th century North West urban life with matchstick figures set amongst the streets and mills. Lowry was a friend of a former owner of Sam's Chop House, and though not a big drinker, he would call in quite regularly for lunch and a half of bitter or a glass of sherry, although in those days he hadn't gained his reputation as an artist. The current owner decided to have a bronze statue cast to celebrate the artist's affinity with the bar and so now he sits maintaining a permanent, and somewhat stern, presence whilst keeping watch over proceedings.

Lowry keeping watch over the bar

I enjoyed my second pint of Boddingtons as much as my first, and having enjoyed my first visit to Sam's Chop House, I will make sure I call again soon. Despite the first impression that it felt like a bit of a secret den, there was a very relaxed feel to the place, the staff were very welcoming, and all seemed to be enjoying working here, which is always a good sign in what is clearly a slickly-run operation. And quite possibly when I come again, I will go beyond that lectern and curtain and sample some of the highly-regarded traditional British dishes they serve here. Hopefully with a pint of Boddingtons of course!

And so I finished my pint, and from there I wended my way gradually back towards Victoria for the train back home, mission well and truly accomplished....

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